CategorySewing

OK, y’all, this was so much fun! If you haven’t heard of Stitch Fix (referral link, I get $25 if you sign up!) it’s a mom’s best friend. Because really, who wants to bring their kids to a store? A personal stylist picks clothing out based on a style profile you fill out! In addition to the style profile, you make a pinterest board with items that you like and they send you a box full of goodies. You go through the items they send you and keep what you like, send back what you don’t and only pay for what you keep!

I asked my stylist to pick items made in the USA so that it is much more likely that the items were made by folks 1) not in slavery 2) paid a fair wage for their hard work 3) not children. I also asked her to pick clothing that would transition between the work world and mom world, but with a sense of style and adventure. It is pricey, but since I only thrift the rest of my clothing, I feel ok support companies that make stylish clothing in the USA. Voting with your money and all that jazz.

Well look what showed up today:

I was beyond excited to open it up. I have been itching to get my first fix! And to see houndstooth as the first item! Squeee!

I opened up the styling tips and got to work trying on the items they sent me. I decided to try on the items doing my best to match some of the tips they sent me. Every single clothing thing I paired with my Stitch Fix clothing items were purchased at the thrift store (the shoes were not). 🙂 And of course, the majority of the jewelry I’m wearing is Noonday… Because I <3 Noonday.

This first item I tried on was the 41Hawthorn Montgomery Solid Belted Shift Dress. This is a Stitch Fix Brand but is made in China. I like the neckline, it is super comfy, versatile, lightweight (which is perfect for working during our hot Austin summers) but it does feel a little plain… I haven’t made up my mind if I’m keeping it yet. I have three days to decide! 😉

Next up was the Kut From the Kloth Simmons Bootcut Jean, also made in the USA. They fit perfectly, super comfortable, but are a little long. I just don’t wear heels any longer. I will likely be sending these back.

On to the Pomelo Ivy Tulip Print Tab Sleeve Blouse which appears to be another Stitch Fix Brand, which hopefully means it is also made in the US. Super comfy! I’ve been trying to purge out some of the pink in my closet (there is SO MUCH PINK at the thrift stores) but I dig this pink with the cobalt tulips. Makes it feel less ‘girly’.

Another way the style guide suggested to style the shirt – with a black pencil skirt. Makes it pretty versatile, eh? I’m pretty sure I’m keeping this one.

Next up, Kut from the Kloth Marquis Slub Knit Dolman Sweater. Generally speaking, I tuck shirts into my maxi skirts, but I thought I’d give it a try untucked and I think I like it. It feels very hippy and it would make the maxi skirt a little more wearable during Austin’s ‘colder’ months.

And here it is again with something a little more in my comfort zone. I’m thinking about keeping this one too, but I’m a little worried because white + being a mom = often ends in disaster.

And finally, the item that made me excited to tear into the box, the Pomelo Jay Houndstooth Print Swing Skirt. I love the print so very much, but it gathers a bit unflatteringly (is that a word?) in the belly area and I can’t seem to escape the feeling that I could quickly sew up a very similar item myself. Undecided on whether I will keep this one.

If you have feedback for me on what you think I should keep, I’m all ears! I haven’t made up my mind on a couple of items and I have a couple days to decide before I have to commit to sending back or purchasing.

I’m totally scheduling my next fix after this great first experience! If you are undecided about whether it would be good for you, check out some more about it on their website. And I would totally love it if you used my referral link. 😉

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I’ve shared most of my thrift store finds here (see first, second and third times) and most of those times I was trying to find wearable, comfortable, ‘mommy’ clothes that weren’t too frumpy. I was transitioning from a full-time office job to staying at home. I owned no shorts, no tank tops, very few t-shirts. This time, I needed to find some work appropriate, but also Texas weather (read: heat) friendly clothing. Turns out after a couple years, my work clothes… didn’t fit any longer. So, back to the thrift store I went and I had some awesome success. I didn’t spend more than $12 on anything and most items were $4 or less. Can you tell I am on a green kick?

I found 1 dress, 1 leather belt, 6 shirts, 3 tank tops, 3 skirts, and finally 6 button-up shirts. I feel like I found some clothes that could transition from office to home pretty well!

Next up, I signed up for a Stitch Fix (that’s a referral link)… I have had several friends sign up to have Stitch Fix deliveries with great results… We’ll see how that goes for me! I’m excited because you can tell them what you are looking for in clothing, like Made in the USA!

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A friend of mine had her first little boy recently and I had the honor of sewing up this little quick quilt for her! It’s Elizabeth Hartman’s Charm Squares Baby Quilt.

I’m really happy with how it turned out – I hope she likes it too! I tried to go with colors/patterns she said were in her nursery.

There’s also a grey chevron nursing cover to go with it all, because after all, I do love the practical things in life! 🙂

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This Triangle Wheel Quilt Block is definitely an example of how difficult simplicity can be to achieve. Somewhere along the line, I must have measured something wrong, but I did my best to fix it and I’m pretty happy with the results! Someday I’ll get better at making triangle points align…

I’ve had my word since January 1 this year but hadn’t been able to pick a block and find the time to sit down to make it. (A review of past years: 2013 – Deliberate, 2012 – Gratitude, 2011 – Belief, 2010 – Trust). Jude and I baked some cookies and then I sent Jason and Jude out to deliver them to neighbors which lead to much needed silence and alone time. Ahhh.

I started this 2014 year exhausted, tired deep to my bones. Often at the start of the new year, I feel invigorated, ready to kick some tail and start the year off with a bang. Everything seems possible. It all feels new.

This year, I hardly wanted to get out of bed. 2013 sapped me dry. I feel empty. I guess planting a church can do that to you. I promise, eventually I will sit down and write about this experience. There has been a lot to process, so many roller coasters.

Becoming a hermit sounds excellent to me right about now. 🙂

Which leads to my word of the year: balance. Mental steadiness or emotional stability; habit of calm behavior. Equilibrium.

Doesn’t that sound nice?

There is so much to balance in life, marriage, parenting, work, faith, friendships. Food, cleaning, social media, blogging. Sewing, knitting, TV, movies. Often everything feels totally off balance because I have a problem saying ‘no’ to things.

This year, I will say no without guilt. I won’t go to everything, even if I can go. I will aim to adopt a slower pace. I will focus on enjoying the little moments. I won’t allow myself to be defined by exhaustion or how full we make our schedule. I will give myself space to think and process.

But I won’t become a hermit, I won’t withdraw from relationships, I will keep working at the things that matter.

I know this is a hard to achieve lifelong goal, but I think this is a good year to fixate on this word. Things are only going to get crazier and I have to have some framework for balance. So here we go. Let’s pursue some equilibrium.

I used the stem stitch to embroider the word on the block, turning the equilateral triangle on it’s point, as if to … balance.

Do you have a word of the year? Something to help you focus on the year ahead?

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November 19, 2013Comments Off on Crafters Retreat 2013 readCrafts, Sewing

Have I mentioned that I have some awesome friends? Friends that plan crafting/sewing retreats? Yeah, I do. And I got to go on a retreat this past weekend and it was GOOD. (Read about past retreats here, here, here and here)

And as always, on these retreats, I take a bit of time to complete the yearly felt ornament that I started when Jude was born. This year, sensing a growing theme, I choose Felt Hot Cocoa. Don’t judge my iffy stitching. He looks handmade and that’s part of the panache. Ornaments of years past? Pickle (2012), bacon (2011), owl (2010) ((he’s the only non-food item… I mean, can you eat an owl?)), gingerbread man (2009).

The porch in this house is one of my favorites and I spent some time there listening to an audiobook, drinking coffee and knitting. With a fall candle. And my awesome socks.

I whipped up two super simple quilts for two sweet little boys.

Got to finish a skirt that I’ve had planned for two years… It’s a lined, gathered skirt, with pockets and exposed back zipper (free tute here). I took time to enjoy the process – hand finishing seams, taking things slow. And I love how it turned out. I’ll model it for y’all soon.

And and FINALLY made some progress on the Macaron Dress that I have had planned for two years!

Overall, a thrilling weekend of eating good food and getting some stuff done that I can’t seem to find time for at this current stage of life!

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I know I had mentioned trying to figure out the disposable clothing issue but I honestly haven’t given it much mindshare lately. My brain is full of so many things competing for my attention that the most I can handle is sticking to thrift shopping for the time being.

Which leads me to my latest thrift store haul. My favorite thrift store was having a 50% clearance and I had an additional 20% off. I ended up with 12 tanks, 4 shirts (including the polka dot chambray shirt that I liked so much from Old Navy!!), 5 dresses, 2 skirts, 1 maxi skirt, 1 pair running shorts and 1 pair brand new flip flops. Many of the items still had their original tags! I managed to find mostly Gap, H&M, Banana Republic, JCrew, Old Navy, Loft and lucked out and found some from Anthropologie, Marc Jacobs, Nike and lululemon!

I was so invigorated by my thrifting finds that I totally overhauled and reorganized my closet. Which lead me to an old pair of favorite sandals that had seen better days. The silver had pretty much worn off the straps…

So I spray painted them (you can see one of the overspray on the sole of the left shoe)! I’m happy that I’ll get some more life out of these shoes and they won’t be given away any time soon.

Sometimes the simple fixes are the ones that bring me the most pleasure!

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March 25, 2013Comments Off on A Diana Hobo Diaper Bag readPurses, Sewing

I haven’t had much time to sit down in front of my sewing machine lately. At least, not as much as I would like. I have one project I would like to finish and two I would like to start. Sadly, I think they may have to wait until the next sewing retreat. Sewing machines just don’t transport to the playground the way a sock and knitting needles do.

But I did grab a moment to sew up one of my Diana Hobo bags as a diaper bag for a good friend expecting her first little one. The fabric is Amy Butler’s Nigella, Starflower Tiles in Spinach here. I hope she enjoys it!

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Y’all. It’s been a full couple weeks around here. I’m pretty sure this is the longest I have every gone without blogging. In some ways, it’s good – I’m focusing on things that need to be focused on in real life. But blogging is such a integral part of my life that it feels like something is missing when I go for so long without checking in here. But, I guess that’s a whole other blog post.

Anyways, in our very full couple of weeks, Jude has dropped his nap. I’m still going through the mourning process but seriously, we tried everything. It’s not that he won’t nap – he will still nap two hours! It’s that he won’t go to sleep until 10-11pm at night. Totally stressed us out. So, we tried halving his nap. Still 10pm bedtime. We tried moving the nap earlier. Than later. No go.

So I bit the bullet. We dropped nap time. And jeez, it’s been a difficult transition. But he goes to sleep at 7:30pm now and sleeps until 8:30am!

Enter the ‘nap’ mat. I knew he was going to need one from MDO because now that he doesn’t need a nap, I’m going to leave him there through nap time instead of picking him up after lunch. Two more hours of work time for me!

I kinda worry about those nap mats that you see at the store. I know that they are made out of vinyl, or plastic and stuffed with foam, all substances that can contain a lot of yucky off-gassing chemicals. So I looked around etsy for inspiration on a less chemically option. I found these lovely mats that I pulled some inspiration from.

I already had all of the materials – some home dec weight fabric for the back, leftover pieces of quilting cotton from Jude’s quilt and lots of natural cotton batting. I used six layers of batting (which just about gave my sewing machine a conniption), stitched them on to the home dec fabric (basting in place the sides), pieces the stripes together and then sewed it all up! I added some ties to fold it up nicely (since ties don’t wear out, tear, or break the way velcro, buttons or snaps do) and it was all done. A satisfying quick sew after so long away!

We have instigated ‘down time’ in our room, where Jude gets a blanket, stuffed pig and a giant stack of books and hangs out by himself for about 45 minutes. It’s short but it’s glorious. And when I tell him it’s time for ‘down time’ he gives me a ‘woo-hoo!’ and runs off to find a stack of books to read.

Wins all around. Maybe we will actually live through the demise of nap time…

(P.S. – if you use Google Reader to keep up with my blog, Google announced that it will be going away soon… May I recommend checking out Feedly? It will be switching away from the Google Reader platform soon but you can get used to the beautiful interface now!)

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I’ve been spending some time thinking and praying about what my word of the year would be for 2013 (see past years here). Gratitude was my word last year and I had no idea how appropriate it would be – I have come out the other side and processed post partum depression, we have a new house, a new adventure, a three year old, a great job, even a new business and I am so filled with gratitude for all of it. I am so thankful for my life.

This year, as I was pondering my new word, I went through a lot of ideas: enduring, diligent, focused but they all sounded so . . . negative. And then I was reading a sweet friend’s blog and it clicked. My word for 2013 was deliberate.

Carefully weighed, studied, intentional, slow in deciding, leisurely and steady, slow and even, to weigh in the mind, to think carefully or attentively, reflect. Yes, that sounds like what this year needs to be about. We want to be deliberate in how we build community, how we serve others, parent Jude, build this business, how we spend our time, our money.

I decided to try and tackle a block I had admired for awhile and severalfriends had already done: the ET Phone Home block. It was my first time to give paper piecing a try and it was a lot of fun! It was an appropriate block to coincide with the word deliberate because I had to be deliberate in getting it finished! This is certainly the longest I have spent creating a quilt block. The center is a little more bunchy than I would like but overall it turned out pretty good.

I’m looking forward to being deliberate this year.

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This past weekend I had the pleasure of getting away for a sewing retreat and oh man, it felt good – I actually got to start and finish things in the same day! (Read about past retreats here, here and here) That just never seems to happen anymore. I also got to spend some time with some lovely ladies, eat some delicious food, and paint my toenails. It’s the little things.

The first project I completed was for Jude’s yearly felt ornament. Last year was bacon (2010, 2009). This year, a pirate pickle. Apparently I like food ornaments. Don’t judge my execution of the colonial knot. Still learning here!

Here is his backside, complete with 2012, with his friend bacon. Pickles and bacon. . . nope, still not pregnant.

Then I whipped up another Shell Stitch Beanie (with a pink flower) because after the winner of my giveaway received her first first shell stitch beanie for the little girl she is expecting, she asked if I would sell her one for her older daughter so they could match. I’m a bit of a sucker for matching siblings so I consented. It’s a great easy pattern with beautiful results, don’t you think?

Following our ‘something you want (new pedal bike from craigslist!!), something you need (bedroom side table with lego/train top), something to wear (undies and socks), something to read (complete collection of curious George)’ Christmas gifts, I decided to add to the undies and socks that Jude was receiving from us this year. He’s been so into painting and cooking with me and his clothes always end up a mess. I decided to make him an apron that he could put on himself. At the nearby quilting store I found Michael Miller’s multi-color patchwork in plaid laminate. Finally, I did a little searching around and found an apron I liked, drew up a sketch and sewed it up! Sometimes sewing without a pattern is incredibly liberating. Not bad, eh?

I also found some fabrics to make some new pillows for our living room. I really wanted an eclectic mix of geometric fabrics and I think I got it! Anna Maria Horner Field Study in Coordinates Saffron, echo by Lotta Jansdotter in choma goldenrod, a grey chevron I already had, and a fabric I forgot to write down the name of before I cut off the selvage. Oops!

Here they are in their new homes! I love those orange pom poms.

I actually have plans for a different pillow for this chair in the long term, but for now . . .

and finally… I got to make cording for the first time to line the exterior of this pillow. I’m so happy with the results!

There are a few other projects I was working on that are in process, so you will get to see them later! Great weekend ladies, can’t wait to do it again!

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